Basketball positions

Basketball is a sport with five players on the court for each team at a time. Each player is assigned to different positions defined by the strategic role they play. Guard, forward and center are the three main position categories. The standard team features two guards, two forwards, and a center. The guards are typically called the "back court" and the forwards and centers the "front court".

Over time, as more specialized roles developed, each of the guards and forwards came to be differentiated. Today, each of the five positions is known by a unique name and number: point guard (PG) or 1, the shooting guard (SG) or 2, the small forward (SF) or 3, the power forward (PF) or 4, and the center (C) or 5.